Undergraduate Students

Current

My passion for coastal and environmental systems started in my early teenage years, spent living in Okinawa, Japan, as a part of an Air Force family. I saw firsthand how weather conditions and coastal hazards in the Pacific islands proved dangerous and damaging to life and infrastructure. I chose to pursue an undergraduate degree in Environmental Engineering with the hopes of helping people and communities like those in Okinawa through engineering with nature. My research interests are in coastal resilience and hybrid engineering, specifically the analysis and reduction of risks produced by coastal hazards. Coastal engineering research has allowed me to travel to Oregon State University, Queen’s University, and even Barbados!

Past

I grew up in the landlocked town of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Despite this, I’ve always had a deep love for water and the environment. Through trips with my grandma growing up, visiting my family in southern California, and getting the opportunity to travel and experience the Galapagos islands, I learned to surf (badly) and really fell in love with the ocean. Currently, I’m studying environmental engineering with a minor in landscape horticulture. After taking fluid mechanics and working in the CACR, I’ve found a deep interest in wave behavior and educating the public on the ocean, its systems, and the issues threatening the health of the ocean and our beaches.
I hope to play a role in inspiring and educating young students about coastal engineering, while also furthering my understanding of hydrodynamics. Outside of school, I am a part of Engineers Without Borders, and spend my free time running, reading, spending time outside, and painting.

I am from Long Island, New York, where I have been influenced by both the City and the coast my entire life, leading me to choose a major in Civil Engineering. I am a Senior Undergraduate Student in the Honors College at the University of Delaware and have developed a passion for coastal engineering. I hope to eventually earn a graduate degree with a specialty in fluid mechanics. Apart from school, I love fitness, the outdoors, thrifting, trying different foods, and traveling.

I grew up in Richmond Virginia but I spent most of my summers in portland Maine. Visiting Maine so often I was able to see firsthand some of the effects human activity has on the coasts. Because of that, my main interests are sustainability and the environment. I am currently pursuing a degree in civil engineering and I’m keeping a broad interest in all aspects of the major. In my free time, I like to cook, spend time with friends and go outside.
I grew up in Bear, Delaware, and I am currently studying environmental engineering at the University of Delaware. Because my family loves to travel, I have been lucky enough to visit some of the coolest beaches around the world. If I had to pick a favorite, I’d say Paje Beach in Zanzibar! I’ve always been fascinated by waves from the shapes they form to the energy they carry. I plan to pursue a PhD in coastal engineering to study how nature-based solutions can attenuate wave energy and protect coastal communities. In my free time, I race triathlons and love reading, spending time with friends and family, and exploring the outdoors.
I grew up in Harleysville, Pennsylvania and have spent my summers down the Jersey Shore since I was born. I am currently an undergraduate majoring in environmental engineering with a minor in environmental sustainability at the University of Delaware. Growing up down the shore I have always had a love for the ocean which fueled my interest in coastal engineering. I am on the rowing team for the University as well as Engineers Without Borders and spend my free time with family and friends, reading, or cooking.
I am from Dillsburg, Pennsylvania and I am currently an undergraduate student at the University of Delaware studying Environmental Engineering with a minor in Civil Engineering. I have grown up spending my summers in the Outer Banks in North Carolina and that is where I found my interest in the coast. I hope to play a role in conserving our coast for the future generations. Outside of school, I love reading, running, and playing with my dogs, Utah and Arrow.
I grew up in Princeton, New Jersey and am currently majoring in civil engineering at the University of Delaware. I am also pursuing minors in mathematics and philosophy and like to spend my free time drawing and cooking for friends and family. I am excited by coastal engineering research because I have always been fascinated by mathematical explanations for natural phenomena and hope to contribute to coastal resilience. I will be conducting a Senior Thesis with Dr. Puleo to analyze the relationship between pore pressure gradients and sediment response under a double dam break. I also plan to continue working towards my goals by pursuing a PhD in coastal engineering or an associated field.
I grew up in Bear, Delaware near the Chesapeake Bay. While spending most of my summers at the Delaware Beaches, I was fascinated by the interaction between land and sea. When I was formally introduced to the topic of coastal processes in high school, my interest in Coastal Engineering ensued. I am currently an undergraduate student majoring in Civil Engineering at the University of Delaware. I am excited to learn from my research at the CACR, and I hope to apply the knowledge that I will gain by completing a senior thesis and/or pursuing a master’s degree in Coastal Engineering. Outside of school, I enjoy exercising, spending quality time with friends, and exploring the great outdoors.
Since I was 14 years old I’ve spent my summers working on the Chesapeake bay. Growing up in Elkton, Maryland, I spent a lot of time on the water, whether it was fishing during my free time or running boats and building shoreline retention projects for work. From a young age I have been interested in the oceans impact on the development of the coasts and also how this development in turn effects the ocean. I am currently a junior in civil engineering at the University of Delaware, and I plan on pursuing a masters in coastal engineering. During my free time, when I’m not on the water, I enjoy boxing and taking care of my saltwater aquarium.
I grew up in Philadelphia, PA, but spent my summers in Wildwood, NJ. I am currently an undergraduate student at The University of Delaware where I am currently majoring in environmental engineering and minoring in civil engineering. Growing up by the ocean and spending my past summer doing research on the water has sparked an interest in the various fields of coastal and ocean engineering. I believe that this opportunity will help me in the future as I plan on attending graduate school for coastal or ocean engineering. Outside of school, I enjoy painting, reading, paddle boarding, and spending time with my family and friends.
I am from Beesleys Point, New Jersey, where I have been a lifeguard for the Upper Township beach patrol since the age of 16. I am currently an undergraduate student at The University of Delaware, and I am currently majoring in civil engineering. Since I am always near the ocean, I was able to observe dredging companies and learn how the beaches are replenished, and also how the beach is affected overtime. These changes in the beach sparked my interest in coastal engineering and my current research is fueling my ambition to pursue a career in coastal engineering. I spend most of my free time rowing for the University of Delaware but away from school I spend time with friends and family.
I grew up in Marietta, Georgia, about half an hour from Downtown Atlanta. I am currently an undergraduate student at the University of Delaware majoring in environmental engineering with a concentration in water quality. I also have a minor in marine studies and am a peer mentor for Access: Ability Scholars, and interdisciplinary disability studies scholars program. I have always been fascinated by nature and environmental conservation, but a visit to Morro Bay in California led to me falling in love with coastal wetlands and other marine environments. I plan to pursue a career protecting coastal environments. In my free time, I enjoy reading, listening to podcasts, weaving, playing Dungeons & Dragons, and exploring nature.
I grew up in southern New Jersey, about an hour from the coast and 45 minutes from the University of Delaware. I am currently studying to earn my bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. I have found that I love the physics aspect of civil engineering and always enjoy understanding how physics applies to our everyday lives and the world around us. I’ve always loved being outside and in nature, so I’m very interested in learning about coastal engineering and conducting field research. I plan on attending graduate school and hope that this opportunity will help me decide the field in which I plan to study. Outside of school, I enjoy reading, singing, hiking, and playing with animals and bugs.
I am from Maryland, right outside the DC area, and am currently a junior Civil Engineering student at the University of Delaware with a minor in Business Administration. In answering the time old question of beach or mountain, I can easily say I love the beach. I love being in the outdoors, hiking, camping, hammocking, or even running test experiments. Using my major and applying it to real world issues that relate to coastal topics has truly been an invaluable experience. In taking a Fluid Mechanics course, I found the material challenging, but interesting as it connected my love for the beach and outdoors to everyday engineering work. Outside of school, I can be found cheering on all my DC sport teams, exploring the world through Segway tours, and running!
I grew up about fifteen minutes from Lake Michigan in Valparaiso, Indiana. Currently, I am an undergraduate student studying Environmental Engineering with a concentration in facilities design and construction. Throughout my coursework, I have become interested in how society interacts with the hydrological aspects of the environment. In particular, I want to explore the dynamics between the coasts and adjacent ecosystems and communities. Doing research in coastal engineering can help me further investigate the field of fluid mechanics. I wish to continue my education by pursuing a graduate degree in either Coastal Engineering or Environmental Engineering.
I am from Orleans, Massachusetts where I spent my summers as an ocean lifeguard watching the beach change day to day. Having grown up on Cape Cod, my exposure to an always evolving interaction between the coast and the people who live there created a fascination in the ocean’s ability to provide both haven and hazard to those who are surrounded by it. I wish to continue studying and working with this interaction in the field of coastal engineering. Currently, I am an undergraduate student at the University of Delaware studying the effects of large vessel wakes on the morphodynamics of Pea Patch Island’s shoreline. Outside of school, I enjoy surfing, swimming, hiking, camping, and traveling.
I am a civil engineering undergraduate student at the University of Delaware from central New Jersey. Growing up, I visited family in Michigan by the Great Lakes every summer, and had the opportunities to explore the beautiful Upper Peninsula and stunning Niagara Falls. I love being involved with Engineers Without Borders and traveled to Malawi with a team to implement a potable water project. I am interested in the movement of water and its interactions with sediment and plants. For my senior thesis I will investigate how plants on the shores of Pea Patch Island can attenuate incoming ship wakes. In my free time I enjoy hiking, reading, and spending time with family and friends.
I grew up in Manasquan, New Jersey and am currently an undergraduate studying Environmental Engineering with a concentration in Water Quality and Water Resources. I am passionate about recycling and practicing good stewardship. My current major is inspired by my desire for a clean earth and clean water. Additionally, I wish to pursue a career path in coastal engineering by continuing my education in graduate school. All throughout my childhood, I cherished summer beach days and found the ocean magical. Living at the beach, my town was one of the many that was affected by Superstorm Sandy. Seeing the power the ocean possesses has intrigued me to delve further into storm surge effects and wave power as renewable energy. Outside of academia, I have a passion for living a sustainable and healthy lifestyle. This includes running, hiking, camping, paddle boarding, and exploring new places.
I am from Marshfield, Wisconsin and am an undergraduate studying civil engineering. I am not from an area near any bodies of water but I spent many summers going to the lakes in northern Wisconsin; this is where my fascination with water began. Traveling to the ocean for vacations sparked my interest in the ocean and beaches and made me want to learn more about them. Lastly I have a passion for the environment and protecting our planet and am interested in all different ways to protect our oceans. Outside of school I enjoy figure skating, photography and playing piano.
I am from Westchester, New York but my interest in the ocean and beach comes from the time I spent living in Ecuador as a little kid. While living there, my family and I would go to our old family beach house almost every weekend and we even had the fortunate opportunity to visit the Galápagos Islands. All of these experiences inspired me to study science and eventually choose civil engineering as my major at UD. I am eager to learn more about both the ocean and engineering through travel, school and research.
I grew up in Newark and have spent the summer down the beach every year since I was a baby. I’m an undergraduate student at the University of Delaware studying Computer Engineering. I’m interested in the ocean research in the aspect of the computer program interpreting all the data trying to help aid in preventing surf zone injuries. Outside of school, I enjoy playing soccer and volleyball, especially beach volleyball.
I am from Long Island, New York so I have never been too far from the beach. I am an undergraduate student at the University of Delaware studying civil engineering. I have always loved the ocean so I want to continue my studies and begin a career path focused around it. Aside from school I love playing and watching almost any sport, especially football and hockey.
I grew up in Wilmington, Delaware and am currently an undergraduate student studying Environmental Engineering with a concentration in water quality and water resources. I have always had a love for the environment and being outdoors. I became especially interested in water through my classes in college and my involvement with Engineers Without Borders, an organization for which I manage a water project in the Philippines. I have learned a lot about the chemistry of water, but much less about the physics of water. Doing research in coastal engineering will give me a new perspective on water and how I can study it in graduate school.
I grew up in Chatham, Massachusetts, and was never far from the beach. I’ve always loved sailing and being tossed around in the waves. I want to learn more about the coast and the way we affect it. I am currently studying for a bachelors in civil engineering at UD. Outside of school and work, I enjoy sailing, snowboarding, and home-brewing.

emrich2

I am from the small state of Rhode Island, also known as “The Ocean State.” I spent most of my summers at the beach with my family and friends. These memorable times fostered a love for not only my environment, but also the coast. Even in elementary school, I often found myself looking forward to doing my math and science homework. This trend seemed to continue as I went through middle and high school. After talking to several teachers and taking an Introduction to Engineering course in high school, I knew I wanted to major in Civil Engineering. I started at the University of Delaware in 2014. In the summer of 2015, I was fortunate enough to work for Jack Puleo as a data collector for the Delaware Surf Zone Injury study. Apart from a love for engineering and the environment, I am passionate about health and wellness and am an avid runner.

mckenna2

I grew up in Newark, Delaware, just a few minutes away from UD. I spent many summer days at the beaches in Delaware, New Jersey, and North Carolina and I’ve always enjoyed swimming in the ocean and playing in the sand. Growing up with two geologists as parents, our vacations always focused on checking out the cool geological features of the area, which ultimately led to my interest in studying it myself. I am currently a second year student at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, working towards a degree in earth science with a minor in Chinese studies. After I graduate, I hope to go on to graduate school and continue to explore the world. I worked for Dr. Puleo during the summer before my senior year of high school as a research assistant for the Marsh Madness II project. This summer I am one of the two interns collecting beach profile and water user data for the Delaware Surf Zone Injury Study. Outside of school and work, I enjoy swimming, snowboarding, camping, kayaking, and anything else involving the outdoors.

robison2 I grew up in Syracuse, New York but I have spent every summer since I was a baby on my boat on the St, Lawrence River, which is where my love of the water began. Spending so much time boating, I got to learn a lot about the water and currents and how they are effected by weather conditions, which made me more interested in my science classes. My interest in math and science classes continued throughout high school and led to me taking multiple engineering classes, where I realized my passion for civil engineering. I started at the University of Delaware in the fall of 2014 and was fortunate enough to briefly work for Professor Puleo over the summer on his Surf Zone Injury Study. Outside of studying civil engineering, I have a passion for scuba diving, hiking, boating, and photography.

taplin2

I am from Middletown, Delaware, which is just 30 minutes from the University of Delaware. I am currently pursuing a bachelors in civil engineering and seeking to learn more about the multitude of civil engineering branches. I am also researching how tides affect the concentration of sediment in small channels. With this research I am trying to create the background to prepare me for a potential future in Coastal Engineering.

Douglas Krafft B.C.E. 2015. Undergraduate research assistant
Zach Nerwinski B.C.E. 2015. Undergraduate research assistant
Brian Lowe B.C.E. 2015. Undergraduate research assistant
Katie Hutschenreuter B.C.E. 2015. Undergraduate research assistant
Ryan Dayton B.C.E. 2015. Undergraduate research assistant
Hannah Billian B.C.E. 2014. Undergraduate research assistant from University of West Virginia
Veronica Citerone B.C.E. 2014. Undergraduate research assistant
Adam DeJean B.C.E. 2014. Undergraduate research assistant
Jack Cardinal B.C.E. 2014. Undergraduate research assistant
Kaitlyn Gisonda B.C.E. 2013. Undergraduate research assistant
Rebecca Aiken B.C.E. 2012. Undergraduate research assistant
Christine Sutkowski B.C.E. 2011. Undergraduate research assistant
Lauren Munoz B.C.E. 2011. Undergraduate research assistant from University of Puerto Rico
Sam Vaughan B.C.E. 2011. Undergraduate research assistant from UC Berkeley
Doug Innocent B.C.E. 2011. Undergraduate research assistant
Bob McGurk B.C.E. 2011. Undergraduate research assistant
Raymond Strawley B.C.E. 2011. Undergraduate research assistant
Sean Davis B.C.E. 2010. Undergraduate research assistant
Melissa Stewart B.C.E. 2010. Undergraduate research assistant
Justin Seeney B.C.E. 2010. Undergraduate research assistant
Tim Burke B.C.E. 2009. Undergraduate research assistant
Jake Voorhees B.C.E. 2009. Undergraduate research assistant
Betsy Hicks B.C.E. 2008. Undergraduate research assistant
Christina Lindemer B.C.E. 2008. Undergraduate research assistant